title: Availability and acceptability of Canadian home and community-based services: perspectives of family caregivers of persons with dementia.
abstract: Thirty-five percent of Canadians over the age of 85 have dementia, and up to 90% of their home care is provided by family and friends. The purpose of this study was to explore the use and satisfaction with home and community-based services for persons with dementia from the perspectives of family caregivers. The study was conducted using an interpretive, descriptive, qualitative approach. Six focus groups (N = 36) and three personal interviews were conducted with rural and urban caregivers in Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, Canada. Using Lubrosky's (1994) thematic analysis, the overarching themes identified were availability and acceptability of services. The findings suggest a need for an integrated continuing care model that includes the person living with dementia and their family caregivers as partners in care, addresses all of the determinants of health, and embraces sensitivity, diversity, flexibility, and supportive services to enhance the availability and acceptability of Canadian home and community-based services.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, CA. dforbes6@uwo.ca
authors.forename: Dorothy A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Markle-Reid
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hawranik
authors.forename: Shelley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peacock
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kingston
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Beverley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leipert
authors.forename: S Lynn
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Jansen
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003704:Dementia; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population